Video signal processing systems for receiving and decoding "pay TV" signals may include a control access system involving a "smart card" feature. A smart card provides data processing capability, e.g. a microprocessor and memory, embedded in a small card similar to a credit card. Information is stored in the card such as pay-TV access information pertaining to the card's owner. The card is inserted into a decoder to enable decoding of the "pay TV" signals.
When the smart card is removed from a system, the pay TV decoder loses its "identity". The smart card provides information that gives the decoder an address to which information may be directed. However, the address belongs to the smart card and not to the decoder. These systems offer detachable control access capability, but lose information that may be directly applicable to a particular decoder such as geographical information. For example, it may be desirable for information, such as that listed below, to be down loaded via the transmission channel:
specific channel allocation table; PA0 data related to the VTR of the customer; PA0 messages related to a geographic location.